Wire supporting device and gas generator for use therewith



Jan. l, w46.

WIRE SUPPORTING DEVI L. w. sTElGx-:R 2,392,199

CE AND GAS GENERATOR FOR USE THEREWITH Filed Feb. 5, l191115 Fing L i."

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` fam/w MSE/eff? Wm f6 L I L 3 ATTZYEY Patented Jan. l, 19%!6 WIRE SUPPORTING DEVICE AND GA GENERATOR FOR USE THEREWITH Leonard W. Steiger, Hackensack, N. J., asslgnor to Maywood ChemicalWorks, Maywood, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application February 5, 1945, Serial No. 576,236

16 Claims.A

The present invention relates to a wire supporting device such as may form a part of antenna equipment, particularly for use in connec tion with emergency radio transmitters and a gas generator for use therewith. A

One of the developments of thepresent war has been small relatively compact emergency radio sets adapted particularly for use by per-A sonnel who have had to take to life boats by reason of the sinking of the ships in which they served through enemy action. Such radio sets are usually adapted for sending out S O S signals, but possibly might be used also as voice sets for relatively shorter distances. Such emergency radio sets might also be useful to detached parties in an area where they are separated from the main organization to which they belong.

One of the requirements for such sets is an antenna which in the usual case constitutes about 300 ft. of antenna wire, although this length is not necessarily critical, which is attached at one end to the set and is held substantially vertically by a suitable balloon supporting the upper end thereof. This type of antenna is suitable Where the using personnel are in life boats or in a treeless area, Where it is impossible or impracticable to use other types of antennae.

A balloon as herein disclosed when in its ascended position may serve as a marker to aid searching parties nd the users.

In order that the sets including this type of antenna equipment be small and compact, the lballoon must be packed in a deated condition and means must be provided for generating gas with which to inflate the balloon. The prior art has provided such equipment wherein a generator, an inflation tube, a reel of antenna wire and a balloon were packed in separate units or packages and were assembled by the using personnel at the time it was desired to use them. The generator was such that it enabled the balloon of about 40 inches in diameter to be inflated in about i minutes by generating hydrogen by the reaction of lithium hydride and water. This equipment provided a gas pressure equivaient to about 8 inches of water.

The prior art4 equipment just described is cumbersome and as it is packed in several separa-te packages or containers, the parts may be separated from one another and lost when they are most needed. A primary object of the present invention, thereforeis to provide equipment of the character set forth wherein all the necessary parts are packed in a single container in what I choose to term a storage position. Thus if this one container is available, the using personnel will be assured that all the parts are present and in an assembled relation' in readiness for immediate use, thus eliminating the possibility of loss of some of the necessary parts and also the time formerly required to assemble the several parts.

vA further object of the present invention is to provide more eicient gas generating equipment especially adapted for use in connection with apparatus of this kind, which will be much more rapid n its action than prior art equipment.

For example, it is desired in accordance with my present invention that the balloon may be inated in a period of preferably not over 10 minutes and with a higher pressure, preferably up to about 14 inches of water. A balloon thus inflated will afford suicient lifting power to maintain the antenna wire in position for maximum efliciency of the associated radio equipment.

Further and more detailed objects of the present invention include the provision of an assembly of parts of the character set forth, wherein a balloon is retained from damage during storage by being maintained in a substantially oxygenfree atmosphere, wherein the parts are so assembled that they can be set up for use in a minimum of time, wherein the parts are so associated together that loss thereof or damage thereto will be prevented, and wherein the device as a whole is substantially fool-proof and easy of operation by Vrelatively unskilled personnel.

Other and more specic objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specication and appended claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view substantially in central vertical section, illustrating the parts in their storage position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the parts in their operative position in readiness for the innation of the balloon, only a portion of the balloon itself being shown; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to a part of Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of the invention.

The device of my present invention is adapted to be contained in a single container generally indicated at I, which, in the present instance, is

shown as a sheet metal container lmade by conventional tin can making methods. While the container I is shown as substantially cylindrical, other shapes could be substantially equally well used and are to be considered as within the purview of this invention and included within the intended scope oi' the appended. claims. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the container I com-prises a cylindrical side wall member 2 suitablysecured to a bottom 3 and a top 4. Intermediate the top and the main portion of the side wall is a tearing strip 5 formed as is now well known in the container art, a suitable key (not shown) being provided in the usual way for tearing the strip 5 oil? the main body portion of the container I.

The inside of the container I is divided into two compartments by a sleeve member Ii, which may have its lower edge seated in an annular groove v'I in the bottom 3 of the container and may be secured in any suitable manner to an annular top member 8 disposed between the upper edge of the member 6 and the side wall member 2 of the container.

Telescopically arranged within the container I is an assembly including a supporting means generally indicated at 9. This supporting means includes an enlarged lower portion I and a reduced diameter upper portion or tube II suitably secured thereto in any desired manner, for example, as particularly shown in Fig. 2, wherein the por- .tion Il is formed as a relatively small diameter tube threaded as shown at I2 into a depending portion I3 suitably secured to or integral with the upper end part I4 of the portion I0.

Means are provided for preventing the move ment wholly apart of the assembly including the supporting means 9 and the main portion of the container I. For this purpose the lower end I of the enlarged portion I0 is formed as an outwardly extending flange which carries a suitable gasket I6 and also has associated therewith suitable screw threaded means I1, which is adapted to engage complementary screw threaded means shown at I6 (Fig. l), so as to secure the parts in their operative position as shown particularly in Fig. 2. While I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a single thread, it will be understood that any equivalent means such as a conventional bayonet joint or mutilated threads may be employed as desired, the purpose being to seal the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, which is the operative position thereof.

Considering now the gas generating portion of the apparatus, my purpose is to provide a means for generating gas by a chemical reaction between a liquid and a solid material, which is preferably in lumpy form, so as to provide for rapid gas generation, while at the same time preventing as far as possible liquid and/or solid constituents or products of the chemical reaction from passing along with the gas to the point of use. The present invention particularly contemplates the use of this gas generator for generating hydrogen gas, preferably by the chemical reaction between lithium hydride and Water, which results in the production of lithium hydroxide and hydrogen. 'I'he lithium hydroxide dissolves at least to some extent in the water present. It is desired that the lithium hydroxide and/or its solution be retained as far as reasonably possible within the lower part of the generator portion of the device or that it pass out to some extent through the openings 22 and 2n by diffusion and/or circulation, so that the hydrogen may be conducted to a point of use, which, in the present instance, is the balloon, without carrying along with it any substantial portion of lithium hydroxide slurry or solution or other liquid. I contemplate, however, that my present invention is not limited to the generation of hydrogen by this particular reaction, but is adaptable to the generation of other types of gas by more or less similarY reactions, for example, the generation of acetyleneby the reaction of water with calcium carbide.

The solid material, which in the present instance, is lithium hydride, preferably in lumpy form, is shown at I9 in the annular space between the wall forming members 2 and 9 and between the annular portion of the bottom 3 and the member 8. By at least partially immersing the generator in a liquid, the liquid, in this case water, may be admitted to the lower portion of the annular gas generator through an opening 20 centrallyvof the bottom 3 of the apparatus, which opening may be closed during the storage position of the parts by a suitable removable closure 2| as seen in Fig. l, this closure having a tight friction t as shown and being removed prior to the operation of the apparatus. 'I'he water passes thence into the lower portion of the annular space containing the material I9 through one or more annular series of holes 22, coming there into contact with the chemical material so as to generate gas. This gas passes upwardly through the dry material and may escape to the large hollow space 23 within the member 6 through one or both of two series of holes 24 and 25 here shown, the holes 24 being substantially midway between the upper and lower ends of the apparatus and the holes 25 being adjacent to the upper end portion thereof. During this time the presence of water in the lower portion of the apparatus will prevent the outflow of gas through the hole 20 at the bottom thereof.

I have found that by providing an annular gas generator, wherein the gas generating material is contained within the annular space, a large capacity for gas generation is obtained due to the great surface contact afforded between the material I9 and the water. Furthermore, I have found that the operation of the generator is facilltated by introducing water adjacent to the bottom thereof and permitting the gas to iiow out from a higher level, so that gas need not bubble up through a substantial depth of slurry after it has been generated, but may be at least partially dried by passing upwardly through any relatively dry material above its point of generation. Thus in use, the device may be plunged into any water which is available (such as sea water) but preferably is moved progressively downwardly into the water, so that the reaction between the lithium hydride and the water takes place progressively from the bottom to the top thereof. In this way I am enabled to generate gas at a much higher rate than has heretofore been considered practical, while at the same time, obtaining gas which is to a large extent uncontaminated with liquid or solid particles carried along by the flowing stream of gas.

A balloon which is adapted to be associated with the vassembly of the present invention is shown in part in Fig. 2 at 26. This balloon has a rigid mouthpiece generally indicated at 2 therein, including a check valve 28, which is urged toward a seated position by a, spiral spring 29. It will be understood that anysuitable type of check valve could be used in conjunction with this balloon, that particularly shown being merely conventional and not intended to be limiting. In the inflating position for the balloon, the mouthpiece 21 has a reduced diameter part 30 which is arranged to be frictionally associated with a further reduced diameter portion 3l of the portion or tube II as shown in Fig. 2. At

this position the upper part 32 of the portion 3| is adapted to engage the head of the check valve 28 and hold it ofi its seat as shown, so as to permit a free ow of the iniiating gas into the balloon. rihe gas passes through one or more holes as shown at 33 which are arranged laterally of the portion 3l near its upper end. The reduced diameter portion or tube il may have within it a baffle means here shown as a spiral or twisted ribbon Att. Also and/or alternatively, the portion i@ may be provided with one or more perforated or foraxninous members as shown at 35. members also serving as baile means intended to retard or prevent the flow of liquid or solid droplets or particles entrained in the flowing stream of Y gas, so as to prevent caustic lithium hydroxide, for instance, from getting into the interior of the balloon 25,

in the preferred form of my invention shown in Figs. l and 2 there is provided a reel to for antenna wire 3l disposed concentrically and rotatably about the lower end portion of the tube ll. one end of the wire being suitably attached to the balloon as indicated at lit. As shown, the wire may pass through a suitable eye 39 in an extension t@ secured in any desired manner to the lower portion it of the supporting means. The other or inner end of the wire may be suitably removably secured to the inside of the reel, so that it will be prevented trom undesired dislodgement therefrom pending the attachment of this wire to a radio transmitting equipment designed to be associated with the device of the present invention and which per se forms no part thereof so that it is not shown in the accompanying drawing. Preferably above and arranged for irictional Contact with the reel 35 is an annular disk El, which may be used as a brake for retarding the rotation of the reel during the ascension of the balloon, so for example, the unreeling of the wire 3l may be slowed down and stopped at any desired point by the operator by pressing with his thumb on the disk l l.

lin order to permit of any desired handling of the apparatus during the infiation of the balloon, and considering that the reaction of generating the gas is exothermic in character, a heat insulating sleeve t2 may be provided surrounding the upper portion of the tube ii above the reel 36 and the brake disk di. As during this time all the parts are substantially rigid with one another, this sleeve lili serves as a convenient hand grip, which will not get so hot but that the apparatus may be easily handled thereby.

in the storage position of the parts, the balloon this completely deiiated and is coiled up around thev reduced diameter portions il and 3l at the upper end of the supporting means il as shown diagrammatically at in Fig. l. ilihile in this position, the rigid mouthpiece il of the balloon is disposed over the portion 3i of the tubular membei' it, so that the balloon is at all times associated with the gas generating means prior to its complete inflation and ascension, this also being indicated generally in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thus the parts do not have to be assembled prior to the inflation of the balloon, but merely the inside assembly moved axially of the generator and secured in their operative position by the screw threads ll--l8. the balloon during the manufacturing assembly of the parts and during the movement of the inside assembly to its operative position, there is preferably provided a tube 44 of any suitable material such as cardboard surrounding the bal- These' In order to prevent damage to F loon in lts storage position as shown in Fig. 1 and which may be positioned around a portion it at the upper end of the enlarged portion Il! of the supporting means 9 and against a shoulder d6. This tube M maybe discarded once the parts are moved axially in use.

Due to the fact that the gas generator in the particular embodiment of the present invention herein specically disclosed includes lithium hydride, which can in a reasonably short time, react with any atmospheric oxygen in contact therewith to form lithium hydroxide, it will take out substantially all the oxygen present in the container when it is sealed up in the manufacturing operation, the container itself being air-tight. Under these circumstances the balloon which is enclosed within the sealed container as shown in Fig. 1, will be maintained in a substantially oxygen-free atmosphere during the time period between the manufacturing thereof and the time the apparatus is to be put into actual use. This serves practically to preserve the balloon, as the rubber or other material of which it is made does not deteriorate to a substantial extent while sealed in such an atmosphere.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an alternative position for a reel for antenna wire, wherein the reel is disposed within the lower enlarged portion lll corresponding generally to the portion lll shown in Figs. l. and 2. As shown in this gure, this portion is provided with a spider fait at its lower end holding a central arbor la about which a reel 5@ is mounted for free rotation. Here, however.

the antenna wire, also designated 3l, is led up through suitable baile' means indicated at l within the tubular portion i l and through a central aperture 52 in the upper end of the reduced portion fil to connect with the head of the check valve 28. Thus the upward pull of the balloon on the wire 3l tends, in this form of the invention, to hold the check valve onto its seat in addition to the force of the spring ,29. rEhe remaining structure shown in Fig. 3 is Substantially the same as that'shown in Figs. l and 2 and described above as indicated by the use of the same reference characters for corresponding parts.

While have shown and described but one prin-` cipal embodiment of the present invention and a modification of one portion only thereof, contemplate that various features of the invention may be further modified as will occur to`those skilled in the art from a consideration of the present disclosure and also that certain of the features above described may have independent utility. do not wish to be limited, therefore. except by the scope of the appended claims, which are to be construed validly as broadly as the state of the prior art permits.

W hat I claim is:

1. Apparatus for generating a gas by chemical reaction between a solid substance and a liquid. comprising a container having inner and outer walls forming an annular containing space for said solid substance, a bottom closing the iower end of said annular space and provided with an opening into the inner space defined by said inner wall, a closure for the upper end of said annular space extending between said inner and outer walls, at least one aperture into said annular space in the lower portion of said inner wall, at least one aperture through said inner wall a substantial distance above the lower end thereof, and a top closure for said inner space having gas delivery means associated therewith.

2. Apparatus for generating a gas by chemical reaction between a. solid substance and a liquid, comprising a container having inner and outer walls forming an annular containing space for saidsolid substance, a bottom closing the lower end oi'l said annular space and provided with an opening into the inner space dened by said inner wall, a. closure for the upper end of said annular space extending between said inner and cuter walls, an annular series of apertures into said annular space in the lower portion of said inner wall, a second annular series of apertures through said inner wall a substantial distance above the lower end thereof, and a top closure for said inner space having gas delivery means associated therewith.

3. Apparatus for generating a gas by chemical reaction between a solid vsubstance and a liquid, comprising a container having inner and outer walls forming an annular containing space for said solid substance, a bottom closing the lower end of said annular space and provided with an opening into the inner space defined by said inner wall, a closure for the upper end of said annular space extending between said inner and outer walls, three series of apertures each of which includes a plurality of apertures disposed substantially uniformly around said inner wall to provide communication between said annular space and said inner space, one of said series being ad-` jacent to the bottom of said inner Wali, one adjacent to the top end thereof and one intermediate the end thereof, and a top closure for said inner space having gas delivery means associated therewith.

4. Apparatus inA accordance with claim 1, wherein said gas delivery means includes bellies tending to prevent the flow of liquid and semiliquid materials along with the gas generated in its passage to the point at which it is to be used.

5. Apparatus for generating hydrogen gas by chemical reaction between lithium hydride and water, comprising a container having inner and outer walls forming an annular containing space for said lithium lrvdride, a bottom closing the lower end of said annular'space and provided with an opening into the inner space deiined by said inner wall, a removable closure for said opening in said bottom, a closure for the upper end of said annular space extending between said inner and outer walls, three vertically spaced annular series of apertures in said inner Wall, the lowermost of said series being adjacent to the lower end thereof and the other two of said series being respectively substantially midway between the ends and adjacent to the upper end thereof, a

top closure means for said inner space having gas delivery means associated therewith, means removably connecting said top closure means with the upper end of said annular space, said top closure means and said gas delivery means being smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of said inner wall so as to be telescopically receivable in said inner space, and a removable outer closure for said inner space and connected in the storage position of the parts to said outer wall, While said top closure and said gas delivery means are telescopically contained within said inner space, for retaining said container an'd its contents in an air-tight closed condition prior to use.

6. A Wire supporting device, comprising, in combination, a balloon, a container including an annular gas generator formed .by inner and outer walls to provide therebetween a space for chemical gas-generating material and providing a centrai storage space within said inner wall for said balloon, end walls seallngly engaging the ends of said outer wall to provide a substantially airtight storage space for said balloon during the storage thereof, said end walls engaging said inner wall, said balloon being stored in deflated condition in said central storage space within said inner wall, gas delivery means forming a gas passage between said generator and said balloon, said gas delivery means comprising a supporting element slidably mounted within said inner wall, means for securing said gas delivery means in its operative position extending out from the space Within said inner wall, separable connection means for detachably securing said balloon to a part of said gas delivery means in a position for inflating said balloon, and a valve associated with said separable connection rneans carried by said balloon, said balloon being adapted to be connected to a wire by which it is held captive after being separated from the remainder of the apparatus above recited. y

7. A wire supporting device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the chemical gas generating material includes a chemical material capable of reacting with atmospheric oxygen so as to react therewith following the sealing of said container, and wherein the balloon may thus be stored in an oxygen-free atmosphere within the container prior to the use thereof so as to preserve the bal loon.

8. A wire supporting device, comprising, in combination, a. balloon, a container including an annular gas generator formed by inner and outer walls to provide therebetween a space for chemical gaS-generating material and providing a central storage space Within said inner wall for said balloon, end walls sealingly engaging the ends of said outer wall to provide a substantially air-tight storage space for said balloon during the storage thereosaid end walls engaging said inner wall, said balloon being stored in deated condition in said central storage space within said inner wall, gas delivery means forming a gas passage between said generator and said balloon, said gas delivery means comprising a supporting element slldably mounted within said inner wall, means for securing said gas delivery means in its operative position extending out from the space within said inner wall, separable connection means for detachably securing said balloon to a part of said gas delivery means in a position for inflating said balloon, a valve associated with said separable connection means carried by said balloon, and a reel of wire mounted in said container substantially concentric therewith, and having one end of the wire attached to said balloon for holding it captive after it is separated from the remainder of the apparatus above recited.

9. A wire supporting device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said gas delivery means is constructed with a reduced diameter portion to provide an annular space between such portion and the inside of said inner wall in which said balloon may be coiled in a deflated condition in the storage position of the parts and while said balloon is detachably .connected to said gas delivery means as aforesaid.

10. A wire supporting device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said reel of wire is arranged concentric with and about a reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means.

ll. A wire supporting device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said gas delivery means hasa lower enlarged diameter portion providing a space therewithin, supporting means i'or said reel of wire in such space within the enlarged diameter portion of said gas delivery means, said wire being conducted from the reel to its point of attachment to said balloon centrally through said gas delivery means. c

12. A wire supporting device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said gas delivery means has an upper reduced diameter portion, and wherein said reel of wire is rotatably disposed about the lower part of said reduced diameter portion, and a brake dise disposed above and concentric with said reel of wire for slowing and stopping the rotation thereof when the balloon approaches and has reached a desired altitude.

13. A wire supporting device, comprising, in combination, a balloon, a container including an annular gas generator formed by inner and outer walls to provide therebetween a space for chemical gas generating material, and providing a central storage space within said inner wall for said balloon, a bottom end wall sealingly engaging the lower end of said outer wall, engaging the lower end of said inner wall and having an opening centrally thereof, a removable closure for said opening, an upper annular wall extending between and sealingly engaging the upper ends of said inner and outer walls, a removable upper end cover sealingly engaging the upper end of said outer wall to retain said central storage space air-tight, gas delivery means providing a central gas passage between said generator and said balloon, said gas delivery means comprising a supporting element slidably mounted within said inner wall, having a reduced diameter upper portion, and. arranged to be wholly contained within said central storage space prior to the removal of said cover, means for securing said gas delivery means in its operative position extending out from the space within said inner wall subsequent to the removal of said cover, separable connection means for detachably securing said balloon to the upper end of said reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means in a 'position for inilating said balloon, and a valve associated with said separable connection means carried by said balloon, said balloon being adapted when deilated to be coiled about the reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means wholly within the space within said inner wall in the storage position of the parts, said balloon being adapted to be connected to a wire by which it is held captive after being separated from apparatus above recited.

14. A wire supporting device in accordance with claim 13, comprising in addition, a heat insulating hand grip member surrounding and secured to a part ot said reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means.

l5. A Wire supporting device in accordance with claim 13, comprising in addition, baille means within said gas delivery means tending to prevent passage of liquid and solid material from the gas generator into the balloon during the iniiation of the latter.

16. A wire supporting device, comprising, in

combination, a balloon, a container including an annular gas generator formed by inner and outer walls to provide therebetween a space for chemical gas generating material, and providing a central storage space within said inner wall for said balloon, a bottom end wall sealingly engaging the lower end of said outer wall. engaging the lower end of said inner wall and having an opening centrally thereof, a removable closure for said opening, an upper annular wall extending between and sealingly engaging the upper ends of said inner and outer walls, a removable upper end cover sealingly engaging the upper end of said outer wall to retain said central storage space air-tight, gas delivery means providing a central gas passage between said generator and said balloon, said gas delivery means comprising a supporting element slidably mounted Within said inner wall, having a reduced diameter upper portion and arranged to be wholly contained with- 80 in said central storage space prior to the removal of said cover, means for securing said gas delivery means in its operative position extending out from the space Within said inner wall subsequent to the removal of said cover, separable connection means for detachably securing said balloon to the upper end of said reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means in a position for inating said balloon, a valve associated with said separable connection means carried by said balloon. said balloon being adapted when deiiated to be coiled about the reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means wholly within said central storage space in the storage position of the parts, a reel of wire disposed concentrically about the lower part of said reduced diameter portion of said gas delivery means and arranged for rotation lwith respect thereto, 'one end of said wire being secured to said balloon, a brake disc arranged concentrically above said reel ot wire 5 for slowing and stopping the rotation thereof. a

heat insulating hand hold means about said reduced diameter portion above said brake disc, and baille means within said gas delivery means tending to retard the ilow of liquid and solid 5 particles from said generator into said balloon during the inilation of the latter.

LEONARD W. STEIGER. 

